30-Minute The Best Turkish Stuffed Eggplant KARNIYARIK: A Family Favorite You’ll Adore!

This Turkish Stuffed Eggplant – KARNIYARIK comes together in about 30 minutes and is made in one pot for a quick weeknight meal that your family will love! Switch up the ground meat or even add in some chickpeas to suit your taste, or use it as a “clean out the fridge” meal to get rid of leftovers and odds and ends. Trust me, this dish is the definition of comfort food and will have everyone asking for seconds!

Ingredient Breakdown

• Eggplants: 3 Big Eggplants
• Ground Meat: 300g (10oz)
• Onion: 1 Medium Onion, Chopped
• Garlic: 2 Garlic Cloves, Diced
• Tomato Paste: 1 Tbsp
• Tomatoes: 2 Tomatoes, Chopped
• Long Green Peppers: 2, Chopped
• Olive Oil: 3 Tbsp
• Vegetable Oil: 1 Cup
• Salt and Pepper: To Taste

For Sauce:

• Tomato Paste: 1 Tbsp
• Warm Water: 1 Cup
• Salt: ½ Tsp

For the Top:

• Tomato: 1, Sliced
• Long Green Peppers: 2, Halved
• Parsley: ½ Cup, Chopped

How to Make The Best Turkish Stuffed Eggplant – KARNIYARIK

Alright, folks! Let’s get cooking!

1. Prepare the Eggplants: Slice the skin of your eggplants in a zebra pattern so cute, right? This makes them super tender and allows them to soak up more flavor. Heat up about 1 cup of vegetable oil in a deep pan over mediumhigh heat, then add the eggplants. Fry them for about 5-7 minutes until they’re nice and golden. If you’re baking, pop them in the oven at 200°C (400°F) for 20-25 minutes until they’re soft!

2. Drain the Eggplants: When your eggplants are golden and glorious, place them on some paper towels to soak up excess oil.

3. Make the Filling: In another pan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 3-4 minutes until they’re translucent. The smell? Oh my goodness, get ready for it! Next, toss in those chopped green peppers and cook for another 2 minutes, followed by the ground meat. Stir until brown; let those flavors meld together.

4. Add the Garlic & Tomato Paste: Add in your diced garlic and cook it up until fragrant about 1 minute. Then, add in the tomato paste and let everything hang out on the heat for another 2 minutes. You really can’t rush flavor!

5. Incorporate Tomatoes: Toss in the chopped tomatoes next and let everything cook down together for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Look at those colors!

6. Stuff Those Eggplants: Grab an oven-safe casserole dish and add a tablespoon of olive oil at the bottom to prevent sticking. Place your fried eggplants in there, cutting them open so they can be stuffed. Spoon in the delicious filling until they are nicely packed.

7. Prepare the Sauce: Mix 1 tablespoon of tomato paste with 1 cup of warm water and ½ tsp of salt. Pour this over the stuffed eggplants. The sauce will cook down while in the oven to create a delicious base!

8. Top It Off: Place your sliced tomato and halved peppers on top of the eggplants for a beautiful finish.

9. Bake It: Slide your casserole dish into the oven and bake at 170°C (340°F) for 20-25 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the eggplants are tender and everything smells divine!

10. Serve and Enjoy: Garnish with freshly chopped parsley once out of the oven. Serve it up with a side of cacik (yogurt dip) or tzatziki, and watch everyone dig in!

Why I Love This Recipe

This is my go-to recipe when I want something that feels hearty but doesn’t take forever to make. Family dinners can sometimes be hectic, but this one always comes through. It provides lots of comfort, and I’m a real sucker for eggplant, in general. The best part is how versatile it is. I can usually adjust it based on the ingredients I have on hand! Plus, it usually leads to delicious leftovers, which is a major win in my book!

If you loved this KARNIYARIK, be sure to check out my Turkish Lamb Stew, my Turkish Pita, or my Turkish Pasta!

Why This Recipe Works

Quick & Easy

This dish comes together in under 30 minutes if you fry the eggplants up quickly! Perfect for busy weeknights.

Crowd-Pleaser

This is hands down a meal that the whole family will love! The combination of flavors and textures keeps everyone coming back for more.

Customizable

Use whatever ingredients you have! Whether you swap ground lamb for beef or use whatever veggies are in season, it all works.

Comfort Food

Loaded with tons of flavor, this dish screams cozy. And it makes for great leftovers, so make a double batch!

Make-Ahead Friendly

You can assemble this ahead of time and pop it in the oven when you’re ready for a meal. Just note that you may need to increase the baking time a bit if it goes in cold!

Serving Suggestions

We usually serve these stuffed eggplants with a side of cacik (the yogurt and cucumber dip that is to die for, it’s refreshing!). You can also pair them with a side salad or some crusty bread to soak up all that delicious sauce.

Storage:

This dish will keep in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. Just store it in an airtight container and it’ll be ready for meals throughout the week.

Reheating Instructions:

To reheat, simply place it in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. You could also pop it in the microwave if you’re in a hurry!

Freezer Friendly:

Yes! You can freeze these delicious stuffed eggplants for up to 3 months. I recommend assembling them without baking, wrapping well in foil or freezer bags, and then thawing overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to have them!

I can’t wait for you to try this recipe! I promise your family will love these stuffed eggplants just as much as mine does. Happy cooking, friends! Follow us on Pinterest for daily meal inspiration!

Turkish Stuffed Eggplant (Karnıyarık)

A delicious, quick, and easy Turkish dish featuring stuffed eggplants with a savory filling of ground meat, vegetables, and aromatic spices, all baked to perfection.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Turkish

Calories: 350

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Eggplants

• 3 pieces Big Eggplants Large, firm eggplants preferred for less bitterness.
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil For frying; can be replaced with roasting.

For the Filling

• 300 g Ground Meat Beef, lamb, or turkey can be used.
• 1 medium Onion, Chopped Yellow onions preferred.
• 2 cloves Garlic, Diced Fresh is best, but pre-minced can be used.
• 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste For depth of flavor.
• 2 pieces Tomatoes, Chopped Fresh preferred; canned can be used.
• 2 pieces Long Green Peppers, Chopped Can substitute with bell peppers or jalapeños.
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil Adds flavor and healthy fats.

For the Sauce

• 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste For sauce flavor.
• 1 cup Warm Water Helps create a flavorful broth.
• ½ tsp Salt For seasoning the sauce.

For the Top

• 1 piece Tomato, Sliced For topping.
• 2 pieces Long Green Peppers, Halved For garnish.
• ½ cup Parsley, Chopped For garnish.

Seasonings

• To Taste Salt and Pepper Adjust according to preference.

Method

 

Preparation

1. Slice the skin of the eggplants in a zebra pattern and fry them in vegetable oil for 5-7 minutes until golden.
2. Drain the eggplants on paper towels.

Making the Filling

1. In a separate pan, heat olive oil and sauté onion until translucent.
2. Add chopped green peppers and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Add ground meat and cook until browned.
4. Incorporate garlic and tomato paste, cooking until fragrant.
5. Add chopped tomatoes and cook down for another 3-4 minutes.

Assembling

1. Stuff the fried eggplants with the filling in an oven-safe casserole dish.
2. Prepare the sauce by mixing tomato paste, warm water, and salt, and pour over the stuffed eggplants.
3. Top with sliced tomatoes and halved peppers.

Baking

1. Bake in the oven at 170°C (340°F) for 20-25 minutes.
2. Garnish with parsley before serving.

Notes

This dish is versatile and can be made with various ground meats or vegetables. Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.